Thursday, September 17, 2015

almonds, almond oil & benefits (almond, Prunus amygdalus dulcis)

Almond tree is coming from Eastern Russia and Caucasus and is cultivated in the Mediterranean for the past 5,000 years. In ancient Greece they used to eat almonds with honey, great candies of this period of time, while they were receiving almond oil from the bitter almonds to use it in perfumes and lotions. It blooms in February; rumors say that if the almond tree blooms in January, it is a sign that the cold will last long enough😱😱 and the harvesting starts from August.

Bitter almonds cannot be eaten because they release amygdalin, a bitter poisonous substance, which breaks down and releases hydrogen cyanide in return.

my almonds #1

From the almond seed we get its wonderful milk, which is rich in calcium, liposoluble vitamins A and E that act as antioxidants, B-complex vitamins that help in cellular breathing, vitamin D which helps in the development of teeth and bones but also stimulates and the immune system. Low in fat and I must mention that it is "good" fat, monounsaturated fatty acids, low in carbohydrates.

Almond oil has significant anti-aging and healing properties for the skin as it is rich in vitamins E and K, rich in palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids that stimulate the skin as well as trace minerals such as zinc and iron, essential for balancing the functions of the skin.

Almond extract, apart from the wonderful fragrance that gives us in our cosmetics, it is also an excellent ingredient for pastry!

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